


Happy mistake

by itsnotlove



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Falling In Love, M/M, Shenanigans, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-04-28 15:14:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5095373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotlove/pseuds/itsnotlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accidental phone call forces Egor and Akabayashi into an awkward situation.</p><p>Based on <a href="http://rosinantedonquixote.tumblr.com/post/124024097778">these beautiful headcanons</a> by rosinantedonquixote!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 01

There had been no fireworks when they met, only glances and brief introductions. They exchanged numbers, more out of courtesy than necessity, before bidding each other farewell and going about their business. It was the sort of meeting that could be easily forgotten had a simple mistake not been made.

 

Akabayashi Mizuki was a great many things. He was the Red Demon of the Awakusu-kai,. He was a man with a fearsome reputation and an even more fearsome history. He was kind and gentle to those who touched his heart, and a loyal friend and ally to those he deemed worthy.

 

He walked with a slight swagger, something he'd earned after years of fighting and bloodshed. In one hand he held a seemingly innocuous cane, on his back he wore well-fitting but out of fashion suits, and on his shoulders he bore a terrible sadness.

 

It was a sadness that only those who were close to him could see, and even then they assumed it was a trick of the light. No one could ever understand the exhilaration he'd felt the night he’d met, been attacked by, and had subsequently fallen in love with, Sonohara Sayaka, nor could they ever imagine the heart wrenching sadness that stalked his waking hours and sleepless nights.

 

He was everyone’s Oi-chan and no one's son, and definitely no one's lover. He was nothing but alone, and would remain that way even after he entered the next life.

 

On rare occasions he would sneak to a small bar run in neutral territory where the staff all appeared to be amnesiacs. He’d order a drink, then two, then call a taxi. Once home, he'd stare at his ceiling and count the cracks as if they held the answer to what could fill the empty hole in his chest.

 

Tonight, however, was unusual. It was the eighth anniversary of Sayaka’s death and he’d had the misfortune of smelling her. Blinded by his sense of want, he stalked the smell, pushing people aside as he chased after it. It hadn’t been until he reached an alley three blocks from where he’d started that he saw her. Nervous as a schoolboy, he tapped her shoulder lightly. 

 

When the woman turned around, his heart sank. Reality kicked in, the woman being nothing more than a confused and slightly frightened stranger. He explained vaguely that it was a case of mistaken identity only to receive a warm, if cautious, smile in return.

 

“A young girl chased me yesterday afternoon,” she spoke softly, “What you’re smelling is my shampoo.”

 

Startled as he hadn’t mentioned the scent, he smiled and bowed low in response before turning on his heel and walking to the closest supermarket. With shaking hands, he purchased a small bottle and made his way home. He sat on his bed, the lid open and bottle sitting just underneath his nose, smelling what should have been something comforting.

 

It wasn’t though, and by the time the bottle hit the floor he was already out the door, headed toward the bar to drown his sorrows.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

“’nother.”

 

The barman squinted at the yakuza, frown forming on his face. “I think you have had enough, sir.”

 

Akabayashi looked up from his hands with an expression that would send others sprinting toward the bathroom, “Another.”

 

The barman, though visibly shaken, stood his ground. “Please sir, I don’t want you to harm yourself.”

 

The yakuza’s face turned feral, his teeth baring in a vicious smile. He rose to his feet slowly and placed a hand on his cane, intent on destroying the entire establishment.

 

“Please?” A female voice from behind him spoke, voice shaking only slightly.

 

Coming back to his senses only slightly, Akabayashi sighed heavily. He pulled out his wallet and paid his tab- and then some- muttering obscenities under his breath as he wobbled out of the bar. If he couldn’t be served there, he always had that small bottle of absinthe that he’d confiscated tucked away in his sock drawer.

 

Though his apartment wasn’t too far away, he knew enough to order to a taxi home. Being feared and being hated were two in the same thing for him, and it would be better not to take any chances. Pulling out his phone, he found the number still on his screen and pressed call, placing it to his ear as he sagged against a wall.

 

_“Yes?”_

“Yeah, I’m going to need a taxi. I’m at-”

 

_“A taxi?”_

“Yeah, Oi-chan needs a ride. I’m at-”

 

_“You should call a taxi service.”_

“I ‘ave.”

 

_“Are you sure?”_

Akabayashi’s face screwed up in frustration, “Who else would I call?”

 

_“You called me.”_

“So you must be a taxi, eh?”

 

 _“…”  
  
_ “…”  
  
_“…where are you?”_

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

Egor’s night had been the same as it usually was. He arrived home to an empty apartment, toeing his shoes off before locking the door behind him. He brought his groceries on a nightly basis, not entirely trusting the local restaurants just yet, and would take them to the kitchen where he would have one large glass of water.

 

After that, he would prepare his dinner, cooking it slowly as he watched terrible television under the guise of immersion. He stood out far too much as it was, and liked to believe that becoming an expert on the place he was residing would help to lessen that.

 

Once dinner was finished, he would eat in silence before cleaning his dishes and putting everything away. Using the small handheld vacuum, he would clear his apartment of any dust then, every second night, he would clean any weapon he possessed that had actually been built as a weapon.

 

By eleven, he would be hand washing the clothes he had worn for the day and hanging them to dry in his bathroom. By eleven thirty, he was asleep, relishing the warm and comfortable futon and the distinct lack of danger.

 

That isn’t to say that he didn’t remain alert, as he was able to go from sleep to stealth in only a moment. Being a light sleeper, his phone had woken him up before it finished the first ring and he had answered it quickly, his voice steady and even.

 

He had expected it to be a warning, or perhaps a threat. Possibly even a tip, but he hadn’t expected a job.

 

“A taxi?”

 

That couldn’t be right. He hadn’t heard of any hazing rituals that he would have to endure after shaking hands with the Awakusu-kai, and yet the Red Demon was calling him and asking for a ride.

 

_“Yeah, Oi-chan needs a ride. I’m at-”_

 

“You should call a taxi service.” He replied calmly. It must have been a poorly thought out prank or a mistake.

 

_“I ‘ave.”_

 

Or was it? He couldn’t help but wonder if it were some kind of test in humility. “Are you sure?”

 

_“Who else would I call?”_

Akabayashi had a point, he thought, and it wasn’t as if he hadn’t chauffeured people on occasion in the past. The conversation ended shortly after that thought, Egor agreeing to collect Akabayashi and deposit him in his bed shortly.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

By the time Egor had arrived at the bar, Akabayashi was already on the ground. The Russian stepped quickly out of the vehicle, unsure as to how a grown man could fall unconscious five minutes after being that persistent on a call, and shook his shoulder in an attempt to rouse him.

 

Akabayashi groaned something indecipherable and Egor straightened his back, realising that the man wasn’t waking up for anyone. There was only one option and, after looking around him for any danger (it could be some bizarre trap), he crouched down and took Akabayashi into his arms like a bride.

 

“…excuse me.”

 

He walked them quickly to the car, bending at the knees to reach the handle of the back door before gently placing Akabayashi, and all of his limbs, on the back seat. He frisked him quickly, ignoring the knife he found on the Red Demon’s ankle and plucking his wallet from his pocket instead. He flipped through it in search of an address but found nothing he could trust.

 

He replaced the wallet and closed the door, making his way to the front of the vehicle and climbing in. He fastened his seat belt and placed both hands on the wheel as he tried to think of what to do.

 

He couldn’t phone anyone to ask for Akabayashi’s address, as it would be both impolite and unprofessional to do so at this hour of the morning, but he couldn’t just dump the man in a dumpster either. He toyed with the idea of putting him in a hotel room, but as the yakuza was running the risk of vomiting due to the amount of alcohol consumed, it could very well end in tragedy.

 

Sighing to himself, he realised that the only place he could take Akabayashi was his own apartment, and he started the engine. Egor was already a proficient driver, but seemed to take more care than usual on his way home so as not to disturb his drooling passenger.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

Getting Akabayashi into the car had been a simple enough task, but getting him into Egor’s apartment was a touch more difficult. In order to avoid the stares of his neighbours (who would not be roaming the halls at three-fifteen in the morning), Egor decided to carry Akabayashi up the three flights of stairs to his apartment.

 

Once they had arrived, Egor realised that his keys were safely lodged in his pocket instead of in his hand, and shifted Akabayashi into a variety of positions in order to get his hand free. He finally decided on throwing him over his shoulder, with one hand applying a small amount of pressure on the yakuza’s lower back whilst the other roamed around his pocket.

 

Unfortunately, he then realised that they were in his other pocket, and was forced to lean to the side as his free hand brushed past Akabayashi’s legs. The Red Demon made a small noise, similar to a giggle, but Egor ignored it.

 

“Yakuza don’t laugh.” He muttered under his breath, finally grabbing his key and pulling it out.

 

Once inside, Egor realised that there was yet another decision to make. His apartment was of a modest size and he only had one futon. He never had guests visit his home, so there had never been a pressing need for him to own more than one.

 

Sighing silently, he closed his eyes and moved toward his bedroom. He laid Akabayashi down gently, rolling him onto his side so as to avoid any fatalities should the yakuza vomit, and pulled the thin blanket over him. He watched him for a moment, studying his face and the sadness that seemed etched into it.

 

He’d seen that sadness on a number of people over the years, but still found it fascinating. Every line and wrinkle, and every twitch, was like a sentence in the book of their lives. It was only when Akabayashi scrunched his face up in pain that he stopped watching, choosing to give the man some privacy.

 

He moved to the bottom of the futon and lightly tugged off Akabayashi’s shoes, then pulled the blanket back over his feet. After watching the yakuza for another moment, he collected his bed clothes and exited the room. He’d sleep on the couch and would surely have back pain the next day, but it was better than bunking with a man who smelled like a brewery.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

The first thing Akabayashi noticed when he woke the next morning was the freight train, masquerading as a migraine, barrelling through his head at a speed to rival the bullets. His insides felt dirty and overworked, and the small amount of warmth hitting his toes from the slightly opened blinds was pissing him off.

 

The second thing he noticed was the smell of strong coffee and some kind of food. His stomach rumbled, causing him to realise that he was both hungry and likely to throw up anything that he ingested.

 

_‘Guess I forgot to eat again yesterday.’_

The third thing Akabayashi noticed was that none of this should be happening in his apartment. His eyes opened slowly, and for a moment he wondered if he had died. He couldn’t remember getting home, and he felt a flutter of excitement.

 

Perhaps he was in heaven and would be greeted by Sayaka? The aches and pains he was feeling could be his eternal punishment for being so cruel, but he could easily live with that if it meant that he could see _her_ once again.

 

Unfortunately, he saw nothing but an empty room once he stopped seeing double, coupled with an usually tall man standing in the doorway, wearing a plain apron.

 

“Good morning.”

 

Akabayashi squinted, placing the stranger almost immediately. “If this is your way of killing me, I have to say that what it lacks in effectiveness it makes up for in creativity.”

 

Egor’s expression didn’t change at the taunt, but internally he was rolling his eyes. “If I had wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t have been your taxi.”

 

Taxi, that’s right. Faint snapshots of the previous evening came back to the yakuza, causing him to smile. “Taxi-san, when I asked you to take me home, I meant my apartment.”

 

“I apologise but I did not know where it was.” Egor replied, expression still stoic, “I’ve made breakfast and have acquired pain medication. It’s sitting at the table for you.”

 

Akabayshi nodded, resisting the urge to ask whether Egor wore that apron each time he cooked, and rose shakily to his feet. He followed the other man out of the room slowly, silently wishing for death with each wave of nausea, and flopped into the chair at the breakfast table.

 

He couldn’t be certain, but he had a feeling that the table hadn’t been used before.

 

“I’ve made omnirice and coffee, but I’m not sure how you take it.” Egor explained, taking a seat on the couch with a coffee of his own, “Please attempt to eat some before you take your medication.”

 

Akabayashi scoffed but followed the advice anyway, having the distinct impression that Egor was mothering him. He knew that the Russian had a violent reputation but simply couldn’t believe it when seeing him in such a domestic setting.

 

“So are you always this kind hearted? Seems like a bad thing if you’re meant to be a vicious assassin.” Akabayashi teased, stirring his coffee.

 

“I’m only doing what I should, given that we are business partners.” Egor replied smoothly, taking a sip of bitter coffee to distract himself from the irritating man avoiding his breakfast. When he’d first met Akabayashi he had known he wasn’t a very serious person, but to mock someone for looking after him was uncouth.

 

Akabayashi poked at his breakfast with a chopstick, not trusting that Egor hadn’t done something to it. He finally decided to try it after deciding that Egor wasn’t stupid enough to poison him whilst he was awake.

 

“It’s good.” He mumbled, impressed with it. “Do you eat this in Russia?”

 

“No. I learned how to make it this morning.”

 

Akabayashi didn’t respond, the words flying over his head as he was too absorbed in the food to bother listening. The two men sat in near silence as he ate, the Red Demon feeling more uncomfortable as the pain in his head subsided.

 

He’d shown Egor how weak he was, and that was troubling. No one had ever seen him in such a state and he felt a near overwhelming sense of shame. The Russian, who was nothing more than an acquaintance, had seen him at his lowest point.

 

Egor on the other hand was feeling awkward. Usually, he was fine with silences, but he had the feeling that Akabayashi was feeling uncomfortable. The feeling seemed contagious, and he shifted several times as he sat. He hadn’t wanted to see Akabayashi that way and would do everything he could to forget it, but it would be difficult if the other man continued to act strangely.

 

“Thank you for the meal.” Akabayashi said finally, causing Egor to suddenly stand. The Russian nodded, taking two long strides toward the table to collect the plate and cup. “You’re sure domestic.”

 

“Everything has its place.”

 

“Yeah…”

 

Egor washed the dishes quickly, keeping his back to the other man. By the time he was done, Akabayshi already had his shoes on.

 

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

Akabayashi looked as though he wanted to say something, but must have thought better of it as he turned on his heel and marched out the door, closing it quietly behind him. Egor sighed, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, until he noticed Akabayashi’s cane still sitting by the front door. He’d have to see him again, after all.


	2. Chapter 02

Akabayashi didn’t bother going home after leaving Egor’s apartment, instead choosing to go directly to work. The only person of any importance who would see him this early would be Shiki, and though they had their differences, the Red Demon was certain that he wouldn’t be asked any questions about his appearance.

 

The taxi ride was a short one, and he’d made sure to ignore his driver. He didn’t feel like conversation due to the embarrassment he still felt, and needed some time to collect his thoughts. When he arrived at the headquarters, he would shower quickly and change into the spare suit he kept there. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than going home to face the smell of that shampoo again.

 

By the time he’d arrived at his destination, he’d managed to convince himself that he wasn’t as humiliated as he thought. Egor was a business partner, that much was true, but that didn’t mean that he would have to see him again. With some manoeuvring, he was sure he could avoid the Russian for at least six months.

 

His subordinates were quiet when they saw him enter the building, quickly scurrying off in various directions to avoid crossing his path. If he hadn’t felt so ill, he would have smiled at it.

 

_‘Is Oi-chan really that scary today?’_

He kept his eyes ahead of him as he walked, only turning once to acknowledge Shiki when he walked past his office. He was greeted with a nod and no expression, which somehow managed to feel worse than it should have.

 

It was only another few minutes before he reached his office and grabbed his change of clothes, and another thirty seconds or so to reach the shower. He winced as he entered the room, not looking forward to bathing in such a public area.

 

Lifting an arm, he smelled his wrist to see if it was a necessary evil.

 

_‘Smells like shit.’_

With some regret, he began to undress, carefully folding his clothing and placing them near the doorway. He didn’t bother wrapping a towel around his waist he adjusted the water, figuring that anyone who was stupid enough to follow him into the bathrooms deserved an eyeful of arse.

 

Once the water was a decent temperature, he stepped into the stream and stuck his head beneath the water. His eyes closed and he let out a small groan of happiness. It had been a long time since he’d felt clean, but if he could remove the smell then it would be enough.

 

Keeping his eyes closed, he blindly fumbled for the soap and lathered himself up, then squirted a little too much shampoo into his hair. The foam trickled down his face and into his ears, making it impossible for him to notice the sound of a door opening.

 

He rinsed it out roughly then soaped himself up again, letting it rinse off his body at its own pace. It felt nice enough to almost cancel out the hangover, and he wondered how long he could stay in the shower before he was dragged out by someone (most likely Aozaki).

 

**_Tap_ **

****

Akabayashi turned quickly toward the sound of the noise but his view was obscured by slightly-too-long wet hair. He pushed it out of his eyes with the base of his palm, eyes narrowing as he searched the room for the noise.

 

His heartrate slowed when he realised he’d been alone, and he laughed a little in relief. From the looks of it, his cane had only slipped from where he’d propped it up against the wall, making the noise when it hit the floor.

 

_‘Damn old fool, you know better than to lean it against the wall like that.’_

Taking it as a sign to exit the shower, Akabayashi turned off the taps and dried himself as best he could with a towel. His hair would have to air dry, but there wasn’t enough of it there for it to be an issue.

 

After dressing himself and bundling up his dirty clothes, he picked up the cane and made his way out. It was around this time that he realised that he didn’t remember bringing his cane to the headquarters, but put it down to being on autopilot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The door is open, there’s no need to loiter.” Shiki said quietly, never taking his eyes off the document in front of him.

 

“I apologise. I did not wish to disturb you if you were deep in thought.” Egor replied as he walked into the room. He felt awkward, as if his already too-long limbs were three sizes larger than they had been ten minutes ago.

 

He shifted his weight from foot to foot, too subtly to be noticed, as his thoughts kept drifting back to what he had seen earlier.

 

“Did you find the shower?” Shiki asked, disinterested with the response. “You’ve been gone for at least ten minutes.”

 

Egor swallowed heavily, heart beating quickly with the knowledge of how long he had stared at Akabayashi as he showered. The way that water slid down the intricate patterns etched onto his body had been mesmerising, and he had felt almost hypnotised by it.

 

It was only after he had thought about chasing the beads of water with a long finger that he had realised he was staring, and he had left the room in an uncharacteristic panic.

 

“I did.” Was the only response he gave, knowing that too much information or some form of excuse would only lower his credibility and raise questions.

 

“Good.” Shiki finally looked up, inspecting the Russian with a neutral expression. “Please take a seat, he’ll be here shortly and then we can begin.”

 

Egor nodded once, sitting in the chair closest to him. “If you don’t mind my asking, who are we waiting for?”

 

“Don’t tell me you decided to bring ol’ Oi-chan lunch?”

 

Egor didn’t flinch, years of experience preventing him from falling out of his chair. He turned, slowly, to face the now dressed Akabayashi who had decided to stand beside him.

 

“Lunch?” Shiki asked curiously, “Egor is a specialist. Please ask one of your subordinates to cook for you instead.”

 

Akabayashi laughed, but it barely sounded happy. “A bachelor like me will take it from whoever offers.”

 

Egor shifted in his seat, eyes moving to the wall behind Shiki.

 

“In any case, Egor will be helping you today. He’s officially working for me, but I’ve decided to lend him to you.”

 

“I appreciate the thought, but I don’t know what a man like him is goin’ to do. He doesn’t exactly scream ‘intimidating’.”

 

“I can assure you that my skills are unmatched.” The Russian interjected, wanting to defend himself suddenly. He couldn’t understand why he felt the urge to prove himself to Akabayashi, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself either.

 

“I’m sure they are, kid.”

 

“I’m almost as old as you.”

 

“Thanks for the compliment, but you can’t be older than twenty-five.”

 

“I required facial reconstruction after an incident, so I appear younger than I am.”

 

“Plastic surgery?”

 

Shiki sighed, “Akabayashi-san, it has already been decided. Please wait for Egor outside.”

 

Akabayashi threw one hand up in mock surrender as he left the room, “If you aren’t done in two minutes, I’m leavin’ without him.”

 

“Egor, could you close the door?”

 

Egor complied, rising quickly before quietly closing the door.

 

“Today, you are to monitor Akabayashi-san’s movements. You will report back to me tomorrow morning, and you are not to let Akabayashi-san know. Do you understand?”

 

Egor nodded, “What am I looking for?”

 

“Any unsavoury behaviour.”

 

“I see.” Egor didn’t fully understand, given that all yakuza behaviour was unsavoury, but agreed nonetheless. “How long will I be monitoring Akabayashi-san?”

 

“Until further notice.” Shiki stood and walked to the door, opening it with one hand to indicate that their meeting was over.

 

Egor bowed his head, partially out of respect and partially because he didn’t want to run into the doorframe, and exited Shiki’s office. Once the door closed behind him he stopped, standing motionless as he attempted to process the information.

 

_‘This will be interesting.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ONLY SHORT BUT THAT'S ONLY TO HELP THE FLOW. THERE SHALL BE MORE!
> 
> Once again, this is heavily inspired by [rosinantedonquixote's](http://rosinantedonquixote.tumblr.com/) head canons! I'm moving the plot around a bit so that it's a surprise, but honestly, your headcanons are the best. <3


	3. Chapter 03

“Egor, you survived.” Shiki said as the Russian entered the room. It was a joke, supposedly, but there was very little humour in his voice. “Take a seat.”

 

Egor complied, sitting awkwardly in the seat he was directed toward. Despite usually being a coherent sort of person, he was still having some difficulty putting the previous day’s events into words. He’d spent the day monitoring Akabayashi as he’d been instructed, but there were several events that he still couldn’t rationalise. 

 

“Your report, please.” 

 

“Ah. There is nothing negative to report.”

 

Shiki leaned back in his chair, his face dipping forward just enough to allow the shadows to appear on his features in an almost menacing way. “Nothing?”

 

“Nothing negative.”

 

“Positive?”

 

“…or positive.”

 

The yakuza sighed slightly. He’d expected that Akabayashi would still be as unpredictable as he had been when he’d first joined the Awakusu-kai, but to throw the Russian off like this…

 

“It would be easier if you were to just tell me what happened yesterday.” Shiki finally offered, causing Egor to shift in his seat slightly. “Just the highlights.”

 

“The highlights? In that case...” Egor cleared his throat and adjusted his posture. He wasn’t sure that he’d be able to  “Do you mind if I use the shower facility first? As much as I hate to admit it, I haven’t been able to use mine since yesterday.”

  
  
  
  


******

  
  
  
  


**_Awakusu-kai headquarters, Ikebukuro - one day earlier_ **

  
  
  
  
  


Egor only paused for a moment to ponder the situation, and by the time he looked up, he realised that the hallway was as void of life as it was of artwork. He’d been certain that Akabayashi had been standing beside him a moment ago, but it could simply be that he’d only expected him to be there.

 

Just how quickly could a man with a cane move, anyway?

 

Well, it was obvious that Akabayashi didn’t use the cane to assist with his walking, but that didn’t help Egor’s indignation. He wasn’t a man who tolerated his own failures well, and as such, he was starting to feel irritation bubbling underneath his skin.

 

His lips twitched slightly as he began to quickly walk down the hallway and toward the exit, hoping that he’d be able to catch Akabayashi before he left the building. The hall was deceptively short, but as Akabayashi only had a few seconds of a headstart, it shouldn’t take too long for Egor to catch up (if nothing else, the length of his legs made his brisk pace even faster, and it wasn’t as if Akabayashi would have run).

 

It only took half a dozen of Egor’s long steps for him to reach the exit, and he was out the front door in double time. His head turned slowly and carefully in each direction as his eyes searched for his target, not wanting anyone to notice that he had no idea just where his target was.

 

He couldn’t be too far away.

 

_ Honk-honk! _

 

A taxi crawled past the gate of the building slowly, its passenger waving to Egor from the backseat. 

 

“...?”

 

Egor lunged forward just as the taxi sped off, though he was sure he could hear faint laughter coming from it over the squealing rubber.

 

“How did you get a taxi so quickly?!”

 

Now was not the time to think about (or be impressed by) that, and Egor’s body was already in motion. There was a chance that he could catch up to the car and wrench the door open, but as he wasn’t supposed to harm Akabayashi (...), that wasn’t the brightest idea. Instead, he sprinted toward the car he’d been lent by the Awakusu-kai and unlocked it, then jumped into the passenger seat.

 

“...”

 

He was just a little frustrated.

 

Shuffling over to the driver's seat, Egor started the ignition and shifted into gear, then took off after the taxi and it's ridiculous passenger.

  
  
  
  


******

  
  
  
  
  


The shower was cool no matter what Egor did, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Akabayashi had tampered with it. He hadn’t, of course- he’d been in his own meeting for some time, and hadn’t spent any time near the shower- but that didn’t stop Egor from blaming him.

 

With everything else he’d put Egor through, it wouldn’t surprise him if Akabayashi had managed to magic the hot water cylinder into turning off.

 

_ ‘What a pain.’ _

 

Never in all his years had Egor met such an irritating man. Plenty of men had tried to get under his skin in the past, but none seemed to derive such unadulterated joy from making his life a misery in such small ways.

 

Were all yakuza like this? He couldn’t be sure, but with the strange expression Shiki seemed to always be hiding, he had a hunch they were.

 

How could such feared and successful men be such children? Was there no air of professionalism, even when speaking with a foreign guest? Could this be hazing?

 

The temperature of the shower lowered again, the chill shocking Egor’s body awake. He’d been turning the hot water tap, and yet the water still grew colder. 

 

Obviously, it had been tampered with by that flashy bastard.

 

Somewhat determined to prove to himself that Akabayashi was behind it, Egor craned his upper body down to inspect the tap.

 

“Ah.”

 

He was turning the wrong one.

 

“...”

 

Just how tired had the old bastard made him?

  
  
  
  
  


**

  
  
  
  
  


**_Ikebukuro - one day earlier_ **

  
  
  
  
  


Luckily for Egor, Akabayashi’s taxi stopped on a block he actually recognised. He parked the car quickly, making sure to take car of the car in front of him, and exited slowly. In front of him, Akabayashi was already strutting (strutting?) toward the back door of a restaurant, a large bag in his hand.

 

How he’d managed to gather a bag  _ and  _ beat Egor out the door was a mystery, but the Russian didn’t let that thought consume him. He’d never been one to underestimate an opponent, so it would do him no good to start now.

 

Once again, he thanked his genetics for blessing him with such long legs. To think he could feign a casual appearance as he quickly caught up was something of a miracle, especially when he was this annoyed.

 

“You’re late.” Akabayashi cooed (cooed?!) over his shoulder as his hand moved to the doorknob of the back door. “Are you still running on Ukrainian time?”

 

“Russian.”

 

“That’s what I said.”

 

“...”

 

“You should change your watch.” Laughing, Akabayashi shouldered open the door and let himself in, not bothering to make enough of a gap for Egor to follow without it hitting him in the face. “Ah, Denis!” 

 

As Egor opened the door, he heard a familiar voice greet the devilish yakuza in front of him. He slipped through in time to watch as Akabayashi dropped the bag on the nearest countertop, and closed the door quietly behind him.

 

“Denis.”

 

“Egor!” Simon’s voice called out, overpowering everyone else in the restaurant. “You change job! Become crab catcher!”

 

“Not quite.” Perhaps a dog catcher? “I’m accompanying Akabayashi today.”

 

Denis and Simon shared a look.

 

“I don’t know what you teach ‘em over there, but this one finds it hard to keep up.”

 

“No good! Egor, you work hard and eat easy!” Though Simon’s tone seemed concerned, something about his expression made him look anything but. “Come! Eat now, grow strong!”

 

“I’m fine, but thank you.”

 

“You can’t say that, kid.” Akabayashi leaned on his cane as he gave Egor a once over. “You’re fading away.”

 

“Yes, fade! Eat, come back to life!”

 

“I rea-”

 

“I’ll make something for you.” Denis’s stern voice echoed throughout the back room, and Egor found he couldn’t decline any longer. It was an old habit, to listen to Denis as if his word were gospel, and he found that he couldn’t quite ignore that.

 

“I’ll let you three enjoy the reunion!” Turning on his heel, Akabayashi made for the door. “I’ll let Shiki know you did a good job.”

 

“A-ka-bay-a-shi, stay, eat!” With a wide grin, Simon stopped Akabayashi in his tracks. “Bags under eyes not for travel!”

 

“Ha, I’ll take a raincheck.”

 

“I’ll make something for you.” Denis repeated the same line as earlier, his tone still not leaving any room for discussion. 

 

Akabayashi was a grown man with no significant ties to either Simon or Denis. He was a (shady) businessman, and about as dangerous as they came.

 

Despite this, he found he couldn’t leave, either.

 

Resigned to his fate, Akabayashi shrugged and made his way toward the main restaurant. It would do him no good to fight with his customers.

 

Once he was out of earshot, Egor slumped his shoulders. If the day was already this awful and it had barely begun, he didn’t have much hope for the rest of it.

 

“Egor, don’t be sad. A-ka-bay-a-shi is good man.”

 

“Your recommendation will go a long way.”

 

“ Без муки нет науки.* ” Placing a hand on Egor’s shoulder, Simon spoke clearly and quietly.  Whether it was the proverb or hearing his native language was debatable, but Egor felt a little better for it.

 

“I’ve been through worse.”

 

“Good!” Simon squeezed Egor’s shoulder, then moved his hand to the assassin’s back to guide him to the restaurant. “Now, you eat! Get strength, become tough!”

 

The pair walked through the swinging doors that separated the back room and the main restaurant, only to find that it was almost empty. The breakfast customers were still seated, but a certain redhead seemed to have disappeared completely.

 

“Алты́нного во́ра ве́шают, а полти́нного че́ствуют.**” With that, Egor made a beeline for the exit, a leaving a sympathetic Simon in his wake.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**

  
  
  
  
  


**_Ikebukuro? Shibuya? Shinjuku? - one day earlier_ **

  
  
  
  
  


For hours, Egor felt as though Akabayashi was always just out of reach. Whenever he managed to catch up, the yakuza seemed to slip away from him as though he were nothing more than a novice. It was infuriating, and Egor found himself started to truly detest the smug bastard’s chuckling.

 

He’d been left to clean up after him, either having to collect apparently forgotten cargo (did Akabayashi believe him to be a slave?), or pay the people Akabayashi had been consulting with just as he caught up. 

 

By midday, Egor felt as though he’d run several hundred marathons, and still hadn’t managed to catch up to Akabayashi properly.  _ How  _ did this man always slip away? It was like he knew Egor’s every step, and was taking great joy in throwing him off. 

 

But finally-  _ finally-  _ he did manage to catch up. Much to Egor’s dismay, it was only because Akabayashi had intended for him to do so.

 

As he leaned against Egor’s borrowed car, he wore a smug but subtle grin. “I thought I told you to fix your watch.”

 

“You have my apologies. I seem to be unaccustomed to erratic scheduling.”

 

Rather than reply, Akabayashi pushed himself off the car and waited for his door to be opened for him. It took Egor more effort than he’d like to admit to refrain from bashing Akabayashi’s head against it, but the yakuza didn’t need to know that.

 

Once his passenger was safely inside (and the child locks were activated), Egor jogged to the driver’s side and let himself in. 

 

“Don’t forget to buckle up.” A snide voice advised. “Wouldn’t want to see you go through the windshield.”

 

As Egor had been in the process of clicking his seatbelt into place, Akabayashi’s words were both unnecessary and annoying.

 

“What’s the next destination?”

 

“Black.”

 

“...”

 

“The club.” Akabayashi waved a hand in front of him. “We’re due for a meeting.”

 

“Of course.” The car started as Egor spoke, and he pulled out into traffic. The ride was uneventful and quiet for the most part, with the only exception being Akabayashi’s occasional humming. For some time, Egor watched the other cars enviously, wishing that he could have almost any other passenger.

 

This man was nothing but a distraction, and it was really no wonder that he needed a babysitter.

 

“You ever get addicted to anything?”

 

Egor checked the rearview mirror to gauge Akabayashi’s expression, but found that he was staring out the window.

 

“No.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Have you?” It wasn’t his place to ask, but Egor had lost much of his professionalism already. The silence that followed his question made him scold himself for being so curious, but he didn’t regret asking. After everything Akabayashi had put him through so far, one question wouldn’t be too bad. 

 

It wasn’t until Egor was pulling into a space that the red demon spoke again, his tone far more thoughtful. “Yes. That’s why we’re here.”

 

Before Egor could ask another question (not the he was planning on it), Akabayashi had unwound the window and opened the back door from the outside. By the time Egor had locked the car, the yakuza had already disappeared into the club.

 

It figured that the man was on something. No one could behave this erratically sober, and after what Egor had seen the night before, it only made sense that Akabayashi was an addict. As he followed Akabayashi into the club, he decided that he couldn’t really think less of him for it.

 

Many men became addicted to various things for various reasons. Though it wasn’t ideal for him to be collecting his fix while he was working, Egor would attempt to help in any way possible. The deal was taking place at an Awakusu-kai run nightclub, so it wasn’t like Shiki and the others wouldn’t know about it. Besides, it wasn’t up to Egor to judge. He was nothing more than an assistant.

 

The club was brightly lit inside, the artificial light threatening to give anyone inside a migraine. Unusually, soft enka played from the speakers, making the entire experience feel slightly off-putting. 

 

In the corner, Akabayashi leaned himself against the edge of the bar as much younger man panicked in front of him. He shook his head, then nodded, then shook it again, apparently unsure of how to answer the question he was asked. 

 

Though he didn’t really want to get himself involved in such a dealing, Egor paced over to the bar regardless. If Akabayashi were to see him at work, then there was a small possibility that he could earn some respect, and maybe he’d be treated just a little bit better.

 

“Excuse me,” he started, his eyes on the young man in front of Akabayashi, “do you have what my colleague is looking to purchase?”

 

Chuckling to himself, Akabayashi crossed his arms and watched the man’s frightened expression shift to one of confusion.

 

“Purchase…?”

 

“Correct.”

 

“What would he… be buying?” The young man’s eyes flicked between Egor and Akabayashi wildly, and though Egor felt he’d made an error of some sort, he refused to admit defeat.  

 

Why he was acting in such an impulsive was was a mystery, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t at least do his job. 

 

“I d-don’t have… any...”

 

“You can lie to the giant, here, but you can’t lie to Oi-chan.” Akabayashi pushed himself away from the bar and took a small step toward the young man. “If I have him dangle you by your ankles, what’ll fall out of your pockets?”

 

The young man looked at Egor, trying to see whether Akabayashi’s threat could become a reality. He decided that it couldn’t no matter how tall he was- it wasn’t as if he were Heiwajima Shizuo. “Nothing.”

 

“Not even a wallet? A phone? You sure travel light, kid.”

 

“U-Uh-”

 

“Goliath, why don’t you check his pockets and see what nothing he has.”

 

With a reluctant nod, Egor extended an arm and gripped the young mans shoulder roughly. His other hand patted him down, delving into pockets before placing their contents on the bar beside them.

 

“If I am to continue with the search, I request gloves.”

 

“Gl-Gloves?!”

 

“And hand sanitiser.”

 

“W-!”

 

Another joyful laugh cut the conversation short, and Akabayashi poked at the small bottle of pills that had been placed upon the counter. “This nothing sure is something.”

 

“...”

 

“Where’d you get it?”

 

“...”

 

“Come on, kid. He’s going to stick a hand up your arse to check for more if you don’t say something.”

 

“Wh-What?! Oh God, n-no! Look, I just got it from a friend!”

 

“Can’t be too good of a friend if he let you deal here last night.”

 

Stealing a glance at Akabayashi from his peripheries, Egor wondered just what it was that meant. He’d heard that some members of the Awakusu-kai were anti-drug, but so far, all signs (from today, at least. Not to mention the night before, with how he’d found Akabayashi) had pointed to Akabayashi not being one of those members.

 

“I wasn’t se-selling them! Really! I was just… h-holding them! Yeah, I was just holding them for him!”

 

“Ah, was that all? You should have said so to begin with!” Akabayashi’s cane struck the ground, silencing the room completely. “Surely you’ve heard that ol’ Oi-chan is reasonable!”

 

The young man nodded, though Egor was convinced that he was only doing do in an attempt to save himself.

 

“I’ll just make it so you can’t hold anything for a while!”

 

As the scream of terror turned to pain, Egor sighed heavily to himself. 

 

Akabayashi was a mystery, and even when he thought he’d finally found some answers, more questions were raised.

 

“Kid, why don’t you take this one outside. I’ll be with you after I’ve finished business in here.”

 

There was no reason for Egor to trust that Akabayashi wouldn’t leave, but as he’d been given a direct order, he felt he had to comply regardless. With a solemn nod, he picked the crying young man up off the floor with one hand, and dragged him toward the exit. When he got to the door, he turned around and spied Akabayashi speaking to another man- probably the owner of the club.

 

It would only take him a second to remove Akabayashi’s victim from the club. There was no way Akabayashi could leave in such a short period of time, right?

 

After dumping his cargo by a dumpster, Egor walked back inside the club. The lights were dimmed now, despite it still being so early in the day, and the music had been turned off.

 

“Excuse me-”

 

“Ah, you came with Akabayashi, right?” The man Akabayashi had been speaking with stepped over to Egor quickly, a strange look on his face. Once he was close enough, he stretched out an arm and waved a envelope in Egor’s face. “He asked me to give you this.”

 

A sick feeling swelled in Egor’s stomach as he grasped the envelope, and he thanked the man with a nod. He opened it cautiously, not trusting Akabayashi to have not filled it with something irritating. Inside was several thousand yen, along with a note.

 

_ ‘Buy yourself a new watch.’ _

  
For the first time in a long time, Egor wanted to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Без муки нет науки basically means ‘adversity is a good teacher’  
> **Алты́нного во́ра ве́шают, а полти́нного че́ствуют basically means ‘little thieves are hanged, great ones escape   
> (I’m sorry for the awful Russian!)


End file.
